|
|
SUPPORT ZPOST BY DOING YOUR TIRERACK SHOPPING FROM THIS BANNER, THANKS! |
Post Reply |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
12-27-2011, 08:57 PM | #1 |
floor sweeper
1
Rep 47
Posts |
Heated Seats Install
I installed seat heaters this past weekend - following roughly the same procedure as I did in my Toyota Tacoma a few years back and thought I'd share a few pics of the tear-down and install.
The patient prepped for surgery - battery charger installed so I could leave the doors open. On the bench and ready for disassembly Most manufacturers follow similar techniques - hog rings, hog rings, and more hog rings Take your time. The seat actuators look complicated, but everything has a place. Passenger seat (the black felt is the airbag sensor) test-fitted with the heating pad. "X" section will be cut and removed. Hog ring pliers are mandatory. This is the 8th seat for this trusty pair of pliers. These are the old rings from just one seat! I've always thought the seat bolster felt a little flimsy compared to the other side. This is why. The seat foam was deformed from the factory and very thin. I built it up using some scrap foam and poly quilting material - better than new. I also used a similar process in other areas in order to restore most of the effects of natural leather stretching - these seats have 54k miles on them. Mounting the switches - I like a factory look and I'm cheap. The shifter surround is easily replaceable if I make a mistake. The cables in the photo look like they're part of the shifter - they're actually part of the welder in the background. All done and buttoned up. All wires are hidden in the console - 12v is direct from the battery and grounded via a self-tapping screw under the shifter surround. These heaters seem to heat faster than those I've used previously - hot in under 4 or 5 minutes and so hot you have to switch to low after 10 minutes or so. |
12-27-2011, 09:27 PM | #3 |
Lieutenant
45
Rep 556
Posts
Drives: 2003 ESS TS1 Z4
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Muskegon, Mi
|
Very nice! Wish i could have bolsters on my seats! Haha
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-28-2011, 10:30 AM | #7 |
Lieutenant General
2286
Rep 12,565
Posts
Drives: Z4 M, X5, GX460
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: CT
iTrader: (99)
Garage List F15 X5 xDrive35i [8.75]
E86 Z4 M [10.00] F10 550i (Retired) [9.17] F25 X3 xDrive35i (R ... [9.43] E82 135is (Retired) [9.50] E85 Z4 M (Retired) [9.41] E90 328i xDrive (Re ... [9.25] E86 Z4 3.0si (Retired) [9.24] |
Wow nice install indeed!
Btw just noticed the yellow rectangle side reflectors - you have a 3.0si with M wheels, what size tires are you running? Any rubbing? |
Appreciate
0
|
12-28-2011, 11:42 AM | #8 |
floor sweeper
1
Rep 47
Posts |
Stock fronts - 225/45r18 and one size down in the rear - 245/40r18. No visible marks, but they've rubbed a time or two - Ohio freeway expansion joints can be hellacious.
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-28-2011, 05:42 PM | #9 |
Lieutenant General
2286
Rep 12,565
Posts
Drives: Z4 M, X5, GX460
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: CT
iTrader: (99)
Garage List F15 X5 xDrive35i [8.75]
E86 Z4 M [10.00] F10 550i (Retired) [9.17] F25 X3 xDrive35i (R ... [9.43] E82 135is (Retired) [9.50] E85 Z4 M (Retired) [9.41] E90 328i xDrive (Re ... [9.25] E86 Z4 3.0si (Retired) [9.24] |
Nice - you should black out those sidemarkers with plastidip, I bet it'd look really great!
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-29-2011, 10:24 AM | #11 |
instagram 997turbotom
279
Rep 7,377
Posts |
it would be a completely wrong texture
__________________
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-29-2011, 10:35 AM | #12 |
Lieutenant General
2286
Rep 12,565
Posts
Drives: Z4 M, X5, GX460
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: CT
iTrader: (99)
Garage List F15 X5 xDrive35i [8.75]
E86 Z4 M [10.00] F10 550i (Retired) [9.17] F25 X3 xDrive35i (R ... [9.43] E82 135is (Retired) [9.50] E85 Z4 M (Retired) [9.41] E90 328i xDrive (Re ... [9.25] E86 Z4 3.0si (Retired) [9.24] |
Yea but when would you ever feel it? Would rather do a 5 min job than have to take them off, sand down and spray. Plus at least it wouldn't be permanent. Only downside is it'd be more matte than glossy but still not as noticeable as the stock ambers.
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-29-2011, 11:29 AM | #13 |
instagram 997turbotom
279
Rep 7,377
Posts |
It would look completely off, thats what I'm saying. Flat and rubbery vs black and glossy. Might as well just buy black shiny plastic paint
__________________
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-29-2011, 02:22 PM | #14 |
First Class M
20
Rep 217
Posts
Drives: Z4M Coupe, E36 Coupe
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Saihat
|
I cant do a such something like that I would damage everything anyway well done
__________________
'07 Z4MC l Alpine White l Supersprint Race Exhaust l Supersprint X Pipe l OEM Carbon fiber Spoiler l H&R Springs l Vossen VF051 l G-Power SK I 415 rwhp l RPI Scoop l ///M Performance Knop. |
Appreciate
0
|
12-29-2011, 02:34 PM | #15 |
Captain
86
Rep 847
Posts |
Great execution and very clean. For those who want a more OEM look, the console switch bar with heated seat buttons is usually available on ebay for under $50. This setup looks as good if not better though.
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-30-2011, 09:26 AM | #16 |
floor sweeper
1
Rep 47
Posts |
I looked into this first as like you say the panels are between $50 and $75, as I would've preferred the look of the factory switches. However those (I think) are wired back to a controller of some sorts - each press of the button results in a different heat setting and then finally turns the heaters off again. An aftermarket setup requires a latched switch with a specific setting for off/high/low.
|
Appreciate
0
|
01-04-2012, 07:17 PM | #17 | |
Captain
180
Rep 659
Posts
Drives: '22 M5CS, '00 M5, '06 Z4M
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Northeast
iTrader: (1)
Garage List 2022 M5CS [0.00]
2001 BMW 740i [0.00] 2006 BMW M Roadster [0.00] 2012 BMW X6 3.5i [0.00] 2006 BMW 325xi [0.00] 2017 BMW 540xi [0.00] 2000 BMW M5 [0.00] 2001 BMW X5 4.4i [0.00] |
Quote:
The installation looks awesome, nice work!!
__________________
'22 M5CS, '06 Z4M, '01 X5 4.4i, '00 M5, '05 Acura RL, '12 X6 3.5, '01 740, 08 335xi, '17 540xi (yes they all are still with me)
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
Post Reply |
Bookmarks |
|
|